The Core

The Core is a 2003 science fiction film about drilling through to the Earth's core to set off nuclear explosions in hopes of jump-starting the core's rotation. The opening scene has a fist bump. And a couple of running clowns, just so you'll be prepared. The action starts up quickly and the tension builds steadily. New characters are introduced gradually and developed as individuals enough so that they have some subtlety as personalities. It does have a couple of preachy moments. I think it's great fun.

Watch it online from googlevideo:


Bad Astronomy reviews this film in light of scientific fact:

"The Core" is not a bad movie; in fact, a lot of it was really fun. The science was not great, though some of it was pretty good. Too bad they blew it totally with the core stopping nonsense.

The New York Times review has only one positive comment:

'The Core'' falls soundly in the tradition of glamorous inconsistency that made 70's disaster pictures so much fun.

Roger Ebert's review closes with this:

It has energy and daring and isn't afraid to make fun of itself, and it thinks big, as when the Golden Gate Bridge collapses and a scientist tersely reports, "The West Coast is out." If you are at the video store late on Saturday night and they don't have "Anaconda," this will do.

Rolling Stone concludes:

The Core -- with its by-the-numbers plot and performances -- isn't offensive, just unblushingly tacky and derivative.